1861- 2023
A 162 Year Tradition
Ridgeway Country Club was founded in 1861 as a young men's club under the name of the Southern Club on the banks of the Mississippi When Federal forces occupied Memphis in 1863 the commanding general objected to the name hence, the name was changed to the Rex Club and occupied quarters over the Lyric Theatre on Madison Avenue. On January 15, 1908, the Club purchased a plot of ground at Dunlap and Madison and built the new home of the Rex Club.
In 1919 the Rex Club purchased 178 acres of land at 5854 Poplar, which is now Ridgeway Road and constructed the first nine holes of golf, two tennis courts and a clubhouse. On August 21, 1921, the name of the club was changed to the Rex Ridgeway Country Club. In 1935 four additional tennis courts were constructed and in 1939 a swimming pool was built. On December 27, 1941, the corporate name of the club was again changed and it became known as Ridgeway Country Club. In 1950 the second nine hole of the golf course were completed.
In 1971, the 5854 Poplar property was sold and the present land at 9800 Poplar was purchased. Ed Seay and Ellis Maples were hired as architects of the present golf course. In 1998 construction was completed on the present clubhouse. A multimillion dollar renovation was completed in 2020, which included adding a kid’s area featuring a movie theater, new men’s bar downstairs, and additional outdoor tennis courts. Four pickleball courts, as well as, one hard tennis court was added to the club in the fall of 2022. A Guard Gate was installed at the entrance of the Club in the spring of 2023.